


A World of Our Own

by SilverFox89



Series: From Then to Now [6]
Category: Naruto
Genre: M/M, affectionate Neji, embarrassed Shikamaru, little bit of peace, pure fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-07
Updated: 2015-04-07
Packaged: 2018-03-21 17:37:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 999
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3701025
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SilverFox89/pseuds/SilverFox89
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Peace can come from the simplest things.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A World of Our Own

**Author's Note:**

> 30 Day OTP Challenge for the Fluff Impaired Prompt #6: Cooking
> 
> This is pure, sweet fluff. Enjoy.

Shikamaru had always preferred the quiet comfort of home. Home happened to be a medium sized house, located to one side of a large clearing, deep in the Nara Forest and far from the bustle of Konoha. It was the perfect place for watching the deer come and go, fawns tripping after their mothers on long, thin legs. _"A quiet place, meant just for the two of us,"_ he'd said when questioned.

 

In the very beginning of their relationship Neji had not understood the point of calling a house home. His clan was very traditional and the clan grounds and houses had never been home to him. Neither did he consider many of his relatives to be family. His uncle and his cousins, Hinata and Hanabi, were the only exceptions when it came to family. He had always tried to get away from the place, and his relatives, as quickly as possible.

 

Being with Shikamaru, however, had taught him differently. He had taught him just how priceless a home really was. Had taught him about moments in time that could not be photographed, only captured in memory. Moments a person framed in the heart, hidden away from prying eyes, and cherished at all times. Moments that brought light into the darkness of a shinobi's life.

 

* * *

 

"Hey Neji," Shikamaru's voice came from behind him. "What are you looking at?"

 

"The does are out there with their fawns again."

 

"Yeah? That's good. Means I can keep a closer eye on them if they stick around. Anyway, you going to help me or not?"

 

"Have you finally figured out what we are going to cook?" Neji asked, smiling over his shoulder.

 

"It's gotten too warm for the meals we usually make so I figured we'd make chicken. It goes good in salad and what we don't eat tonight can just be put up for tomorrow."

 

"In that case, do you want me to cut it up now? I could put it in a citrus marinade and a similar vinaigrette," the Hyūga said, already moving to retrieve a cutting board and knife.

 

"Sure. It's still early so that gives us plenty of time. How does a chocolate cake for dessert sound?"

 

"Mmh, that sounds wonderful. Perhaps a chilled bottle of sake as well? The weather is supposed to nice enough for the rest of the week so we could sit on the porch and watch the stars as they start to appear."

 

Shikamaru grinned at him, his usually sharp and unreadable dark eyes now soft and warm with open affection. "Sounds good to me."

 

Neji laughed softly as he started to cut the chicken. He realized that it didn't matter how many times Shikamaru looked at him that way because it always caused a reaction, from a warmth in his chest to a rare case of butterflies in his stomach. Neji knew Shikamaru felt the same way about him even though the Nara still had trouble verbally expressing himself when it came to his emotions. He made up for it with his facial expressions and in the little things he did for the Hyūga: a plate or bento box in the refrigerator for him when Shikamaru wouldn't be home but knew that Neji would be soon, a note left in an obvious spot, a clean towel and change of clothes left waiting for him on their bed after a long, usually successful mission. Things that others might take for granted but Neji cherished.

 

"Looking all kinds of deep there," Shikamaru murmured from his spot at the table where he'd started the necessary preparation for the cake. "What are you thinking about?"

 

"You," Neji answered honestly. "And how glad and lucky I am to have lost that bet I made with Naruto and Sasuke."

 

Shikamaru's reaction when it came to such things was, as always, predictable. He blushed and looked away with an embarrassed click of his tongue, though he tried to hide it with a harassed expression. "You're a sap."

 

"You cannot tell me that you dislike it," Neji smiled knowingly at the Nara.

 

Shikamaru's blush darkened and he looked out the kitchen window. "I can't," he admitted quietly. "Guess that makes me a sap too."

 

"Perhaps, but that's not a bad thing."

 

"No, it's not," Shikamaru looked down at the table and took a deep breath. Softly he said, "I'm glad you lost that bet too. Even if I was being completely stupid about it for a while. I... Before that happen, I'd have never thought we'd be where we are today. S-so...yeah... I'm... I'm lucky too." The Nara laughed nervously at his confession.

 

Having finished cutting the chicken, Neji turned to the sink and washed his hands. He dried them quickly and then walked behind Shikamaru. He wrapped his arms around the slightly smaller male's waist and pulled him close with a content sigh, dropping his chin onto the Nara's left shoulder. He felt Shikamaru relax against him even as the younger man continued to measure out and add ingredients to the bowl for the cake mix. Neji held him for several long minutes, not bothered in the least by the Nara's movements. Instead, he swayed with them allowing Shikamaru to move freely.

 

"Not that I'm complaining or anything, but you still have a marinade and a vinaigrette that needs to be made, Neji," the Nara said, his voice just above a whisper.

 

"Of course," Neji pressed a kiss to Shikamaru's shoulder with a chuckle and moved away to finish his own work.

 

* * *

 

Peace was a relative term for shinobi and was often used in a number of ways. But that night, sitting close together on the edge of the the porch under the stars with only the sounds of the forest and each others' soft breaths, both men were certain that true peace was found in moments like these. Moments that could not be capture in photos. Moments that no one else would ever see or ever know about.

**Author's Note:**

> I think I gave MYSELF cavities.


End file.
